These special weekends provide you with the opportunity to experience the maple sugaring process at one of Michigan’s many maple farms. Maple farms and sugar houses across the state will open their doors to eager, maple-loving visitors. Guests will see tapped trees, learn the harvest process, and smell the amazing scent of boiling maple sap.

Maple is used for more than just syrup. It is also used to make maple candy, maple cream, maple sugar, and more! Many of the participating maple farms will not only provide an overview of the maple sugaring process but also a taste. Some will have samples of syrup, others may offer a full pancake breakfast! Many will have a variety of homemade maple treats, like maple taffy, to sample – yum!

Planning on being in the Lansing area around the holidays and hoping for some fun, festive events to celebrate the season? Great idea! The Lansing holiday events schedule will keep you busy from Halloween through to New Year’s Eve!

It may feel like we’re rushing things but take a look at your calendar and see: the holidays are almost upon us. Michigan’s Capital City region really sparkles with all of the end of the year celebrations. In fact, there is so much going on it is impractical to list anything but the highlights.

2017 Lansing Holiday EventsSilver Bells in the City – November 17thwww.silverbellsinthecity.org
Silver Bells in the City is probably the biggest and most popular of the annual Lansing holiday events. The city is lit with thousands of merry, sparkling lights and decorations for the season. Events include the Electric Light Parade, Silver Bells Village, the lighting of the State Christmas Tree, live entertainment, and fireworks over the Capitol dome.

Film buffs – you do not want to miss East Lansing Film Festival 2017! This year marks the 20th anniversary of the annual event and a host of special retrospective and celebratory events are planned. November 9th through the 16th, 2017.

Michigan’s largest and most diverse film event, the East Lansing Film Festival, turns twenty this year and the anniversary promises a very special festival, indeed. Much of the details are still under wraps as the planning continues but attendees are in for a real treat this year.

East Lansing Film Festival 2017 is a world-class celebration of the silver screen. The annual event brings a week of independent films to Lansing every year. Over 100 films are screened during the festival’s 9 days. Feature-length, short subject, and documentary films alike are included, many of them making their screen debut right here.

The diverse array of films shown at the festival draw an equally diverse crowd. Fans and industry insiders alike flock to the festival. Each year see’s its own set of high profile guests and attendees. Past festivals have welcomed such famous luminaries as Oliver Stone, Michael Moore, and Bruce Campbell.

The 8th annual Mason Sun Dried Music Festival and its three days of free music is just weeks away. August 25th through the 27th, 2017 on the Courthouse Square, Downtown Mason, MI.

The Mason Sun Dried Music Festival is a one of a kind, free music event featuring a variety of bands on two stages. The festival also offers great food, a beer and wine tent, children’s activities, and a host unique items for festival goers of all ages!

The annual Sun Dried Music Festival has been going strong since its inception in 2009. Each year sees the festival grow some – both in its offerings and the number of people who attend. 10,000 plus folks are expected to attend this year’s festival and who can blame them?

The festival brings some of the very best regional bands together in one location for three days of free music and fun. What’s not to like? Take a look at the music lineup for 2017 to see what I mean.

MSU Museum’s award-winning Great Lakes Folk Festival is just around the corner with an eclectic program of music, art, food, and more! August 11th through the 13th, 2017!

The annual Great Lakes Folk Festival, presented by the Michigan State University Museum, is an annual celebration of culture, tradition, and community. The Museum works all year to put together the festival’s one-of-a-kind mix of music, dance, storytelling, food, arts, and more!

The music presented at the Great Lakes Folk Festival (GLFF) is an eclectic and exciting mix of contrasts – from Salsa to Klezmer, Blues to Bluegrass. Musicians come from around the country – and often around the world – to participate. Consequently, the festival offers a unique and wonderful experience for lovers of traditional music.

Best of all, audience members are often encouraged to join in with the singing, dancing, and even playing along! A few of the festival’s scheduled events are designed around that concept exclusively. The Ukulele Strum, Community Sing, and Old-time Jam are all intended as participatory events. Great fun!

Summer is almost here and there’s no surer sign of the season in these parts than the buzz around the upcoming Common Ground Music Festival! This popular, 4-day festival is celebrating it’s 18th year with top artists like Alessia Cara, Toby Keith, LiVE, Big Sean, LOCASH, Fetty Wap and more. July 6th through the 9th at Lansing’s Adado Riverfront Park.

Common Ground Music Festival has been bringing big names to the Lansing area for 18 years, now. More than 500 artists have now performed in the along the banks of the Grand River at the festival. A crowd of talent that includes 40 Grammy Award winners and 26 Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame inductees!

Though the 2017 festival has been scaled back from previous years’ 7 days to a more concise 4, it hasn’t lessened any of the event’s punch. This year’s lineup continues the tradition of bringing top-level, national and regional performers to our area each summer. The genre-spanning constellation of talent covers everything from rock to country, hip hop to soul, and all on two stages over 4 days.

Add in the intimate venue, state of the art production, and a variety of food and drink vendors and you’ve just described Michigan’s premier outdoor music event of the summer!

It’s almost time for the East Lansing Summer Solstice Jazz Festival: June 23rd & 24th, 2017. Acclaimed local, regional, national, and even international jazz artists make this free, annual festival one of the season’s first must-attend events!

The Summer Solstice Jazz Festival is a free, two-day music festival. Attendees are treated to a variety of excellent jazz, activities, and special events, like the popular Kozmic Picnik & Second Line Parade.

The Kozmic Picnik is held on the lawn at the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum at MSU on June 24th from noon to 3pm. Attendees are invited to spread out their blankets and enjoy an afternoon picnicking to avant-garde jazz. Musicians for the event are BassDrumBone, percussionist and composer Kahil El Zabar, and tenor saxophonist David Murray.

All For Art, Art For All is the theme of the 54th Annual East Lansing Art Festival, held this year on May 20th and 21st, 2017.

This juried fine art festival attracts hundreds of artists and craftspeople to East Lansing and thousands of visitors eager to browse their offerings. An event of this magnitude requires year-round efforts from hundreds of volunteers but that’s “The City of the Arts” spirit!

East Lansing, “The City of the Arts,” is home to Michigan State University and a vibrant, art-loving community. The East Lansing Art Festival began here in 1964 as a sidewalk art sale called “Greenwich Village Days.” 54 years later the festival has grown past its humble roots to become a major spring tradition.

The East Lansing Art Festival (ELAF) is consistently rated as one of the region’s best fine art and craft shows. The festival is not open to manufactured items or food products. Vendors are artists who create original works of art that go through a rigorous jury selection to be selected to appear at the show.

The East Lansing Film Festival, scheduled for November 3 – 10, 2016, is Michigan’s largest and most diverse film festival!

The East Lansing Film Festival has been bringing thought-provoking films to the area since 1997. Independent, feature-length, short-subject, documentary, and students’ films are all part of the mix. Each year, the festival’s efforts help to reveal diverse cultures and creative ideas to its lucky audiences. Maybe you, too!

The East Lansing Film Festival also hosts a number of related events. Namely the East Lansing Film Society Film Series, the 48/5 Film Contest, and the Lake Michigan Film Competition.

The Lake Michigan Film Competition provides cash awards for regionally-based films, through content, production, or financing. Award categories include Feature, Documentary, Short Film and Student Film.

Beyond the screenings, the East Lansing Film Festival features numerous parties and events. An all-day hospitality room serving food and drink will help to keep attendees going throughout the festival.

Each year, the festival invites various film directors to attend the event. Past luminaries include Michael Moore, Oliver Stone, and Bruce Campbell!

Though the festival schedule has yet to be released, it’s bound to be even more exciting than last year’s. The East Lansing Film Festival just gets bigger and better with each passing year! So what are you waiting for?

East Lansing Film Festival

East Lansing Film Festival Lodging
The English Inn Restaurant & Pub, located in Eaton Rapids, is a mere 20 minutes away from the doings in East Lansing. We feature a full-service restaurant, English pub, and a comfortable respite from the clang and furor of the city! You’ll receive complimentary coffee service at your door each morning and a complimentary breakfast each day! Treat yourself to something truly special with a stay at The English Inn Restaurant & Pub!

The first annual, Greater Lansing Balloon Festival is almost here. Scheduled for Friday, September 30th and Saturday, October 1st, 2016 at Hope Sports Complex in Lansing, MI!

Hot air ballooning is one of those rare things that is almost as fun to watch as it is to do. At the Greater Lansing Balloon Festival, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to see these balloons on the ground, being filled, and in the air. Best of all, you’ll get to see them in the air at night, when their glowing, rounded forms light up the darkened sky with color!